Blockchain, Virtual Reality, and Others Disrupting the Music Industry, by Diana Labrien

The music industry has always been hugely influenced by technology. Think about it. The CD, streaming music services, even the concept of plugging a guitar into an amp have all been technological revolutions. Without technology, the concept of layering tracks simply would not exist today. This trend continues today. Technology influences, and even more interesting, it disrupts the status quo and changes the game in many ways. This makes way for creative startups and indie artists to get a foothold in what was once a very closed off industry. Here are some ways in which people are using technology to create disruption right now.

Virtually Reality Is Changing Music on Many LevelsThere are many ways that musicians are using VR to reach out to their audience. First of all, some artists have begun using VR as a means of promoting new releases. Then, there is the obvious application of VR as a part of performance. Artists have been livestreaming performances, for quite some time now. That’s nothing new. What is new is using VR technology so that fans who can’t get to a show for financial or geographical reasons can still experience that show in a way that is as close to a live experience as possible. The appeal to people who live in small towns who rarely get major acts should be obvious.

BlockChain Becomes a Game ChangerHere’s a frightening thought. There are songs being viewed and downloaded over music streaming sites hundreds of thousands of times each day. In many cases, the people who should be receiving compensation for this are not.This isn’t because of piracy or plagiarism. It’s because the information associated with this music is not up to date. This means that streaming services simply have no way to identify artists and properly compensate them. The answer to this might be BlockChain. If musicians can upload proper, verified information to this channel, it can provide streaming services a way to pay them for their art…